Elevator signal



P. S. VAN BLOEM' ELEVATOR SIGNAL Filed Oct. a 1925 INV/ENTOR Paul Jdzayh Valzfiloem.

& BY

ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 4, 1926.

UNITED eraries PAUL SCHUYLEB, v'nNm oEM; oFnnMrsTnAD, Nev/Hawaii, AssIoNoRrtro vIKIr G I rnonuc'rs, oonronncrron onnnw YORK, N. Y.,,,A ooRronA'rIoN-oir nun/YORK.

' {E VATOR SIGNAL." v

Application fi1ed 0etober 8, 1 9:25.' Serial No.{e1,242.

To riZ'Zwhom-it 72mg) concern! 7 i Be it known that 1, PAUL Son'UYnnsVAn BLOEM, a citizen ofthe United States, and" resident of Hempstead, in the icounty of Nassau and State of New York, have in vented certain new -a-nd useful-Improvements in Elevator Signals, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to signals thedirection of its travel.

An object of the invention is to provide an elevator signal of simple form which when unilluminated will. be inconspicuous but which when illuminated, upon'the approach of an elevator car, will be rendered very conspicuous and will distinctly in dicatethe direction of travel of the car.

A furthier'object i s the provision ofa sign-al lens in the'form of a cover ada'pted to substantially conceal a lamp. The lamp cover is placed over'asignal lamp-progecting from or mounted in the walladj-acent the elevator shaft and adapted to be illumi nated when the. elevator car approaches. The cover 'bears a direction indicating character which when 'unilluminated by the lamp is indistinct or entirely invisible but which when the lamp is illuminated the '.ap-'

Fig; 52 a sectional view showing the lens mounted over the signal: lamp and a Fig. 3 avertical transverse section through thei-lenstaken on the line of Fig. 2.

Referring to the parts: by numerals, 1 represents the signal lamp which is so mounted as to be located ina; proper relation tothe signal lens, either. in or upon a wall 2 adjaoentan elevator-:shaft. The lamp -l' is normal y unilluminated, but-upon the; ap-

{for indi cating the approach of an elevator car and proach "of an "elevator car it' adapted to {be illuminated by the closing of a circuit (not shown).. I

dished or substantially cup-shaped glass. 'lens 3 is placed over thelamp land surrounds and encloses the outwardly .proje'ct-j ingiend of the lamp. The lens?) is'formedvwith a ocnvex, substantially'vertical, front signal bearlng portion or wall; 4:, preferably circular in Outline.- The front 'signalgbear-z mg port1on" 1s supported by an 1ntegral,con-

tinuous, 1 rearwardly i extending, annular portion or 'niember 5. The forward endofthe supporting portion is: connected to thefront signal-bearing portion aroundits edges and the rear end of said supporting fportionis adapted to be fittedfia'gainst: the supporting. wall or other lens supporting-:mediumand toibe secured thereto in any suitable m anner. In the present lnstance rthe lens is supported by an annulus (iwhich is secured: to

the'walLEZ by screws 7. The enclosing wall orlmembenispreferably continuous and anv nularasshown in Figs. 1 anc 2. Thesaid supporting: portion may, however, be. formed witlna different Icontour. The enclosing memberpreferably diverges or enlarges rearwardlyandisof material depth inorder to. off-setthe, signal-bearing member from the supporting walland to completelyenclose vtheprojecting portlon of the signallamp 1;

The outer face 8--of the signal-bearing front wall or portion 4 of thelens-is made with a smooth finish and the inner face of said wall is formed "with a depression 9 in theform of adirection indicatin character. I o The-rearsortace ofthe front port on 4, sur' roundingthe depression 9 .is embossed or formed with, small light di ifus'ing protuberances 1.0. [lThe'character depression is of material depth. and all of-vits walls are smooth. The side wallsll of the depression are disposed substantially at right angles to the bottom 12019 the depression whereby. they -will retleztlight rays from the lamp nd: direct them; outwardly through the bottom. lVhen the lamp is illuminated by, the ap reach of a car the entire front face of the lens will become luminous. The direction indicating character will be rendered, more luminous-than its surrounding field owing to the-reducedthicknessofthe-front wall at the bottom ofthe depression and owing to the. f-act:tha t the bottom of the depression is.

smooth and-permits thelight to pass directly through'it, while the embossed surface 10 of the surrounding field will diffuse the light received from the lamp. The reflecting side Walls 11 of the depression also causes aconcentration light rays upon the character. The decided contrast in luminosity between the character and the surrounding field will therefore cause the character to be clearly outlined.

The annular outer surface of the portion 5 has a series of annular light-reflecting ribs 13 formed thereon. These ribs extend ciroumferentially entirely around the portion 5, and'are arranged side by side from front to back and extend in planes parallel to the wall 2 when the lens is mounted in position over the lamp, as. shown in Fig. 2, of the drawings. Each rib 13 tapers outwardly slightly in cross section and is formed with a continuous forwardly facing reflecting surface 1d,.a continuous rearwardly facing outwardly and rear-wardly through the rib and emerge through or y flat top surface 16 of the rib. This top surface will refract the emerging rays and direct them still further toward the rear. This causes a halo of light to be projected upon the wall or lens support back of the lens. This halo surrounds the signal and greatly increases its conspicuousness calls attention'to the approach of a car. The rear reflecting surfaces 15 of the ribs also serve to reflect the rays received from the lamp in a manner similar to the reflecting action of the forward faces 14. In the case of the faces 15, however, the rays are reflected outwardly and forwardly through the ribs, emerge through the top surfaces 16 and are refracted forwardly toward the obserrcr. This conentration and direction of the rays will'give the ribs 13 the appearance of brilliantly luminous rings SUTORIJClll'lQ; the signal and add to the beauty and cirectiveness of the signal.

The ribs 13 are spaced apart along the outer surface of the lamp surrounding portion 5 and thus leave continuous surfaces 17 exposed between the ribs. These surfaces 17 are smooth and substantially parallel in cross-section with the inner surface of the lamp-surrounding portion. Light rays from the lamp may therefore pass directly out through said. surfaces without reflection or refraction and render them luminous when viewed from the side. When laterally viewed the surfaces will therefore appear as spaced, brilliantly luminous bands. The flat top surfaces 16 of the ribs 13 are also substantially parallel to the inner surface of the portion 5 and will therefore permit rays from the lamp to pass through them in the same manner as in the case of the surfaces 17. These surfaces 16 will also appear as luminous bands when Viewed from the side. These latter bands will be greater in diameter than the bands defined by the surfaces 17 and will be separated therefrom by the tapering sides of the ribs. The tapering sides apper .1 in shadow when viewed from the side owing to the fact that they direct the light rays forwardly and backwardly. Thelcnswill therefore present a distinctive ornamental appearance when viewed from any direction.

Y The inner surface of the lamp-surroundin portion 5 is formed with a continuous series of small light diffusing ribs 18. These ribs extend longitudinally throughout substantially the length of the portion 5 and are prismatic in cross section. function of ribs 1.8 is to diffuse the rays from the lamp around the lens and conceal th. enclosed lamp. Owing to the longitudinal arrangement of the ribs and their prismatic form. the diffusion willbe entirely lateral with relation to the axis of the lens. There Wlll be no diffusiontoward the front or back of the lens and consequently no diminution The in the number of rays passing laterally out through the lampsurrounding portion. By arranging for the light diffusion within the lens, the outer surfaces of the lamp-sunrounding portion may all be made smooth so that they will cause the brilliant luminous effect just described.

What I claim is:

.1. A device of the class set forth comprising a substantially cup-shaped glass covering for a wall lamp, formed with a vertically arranged front portion bearing a direction-indicating character; an annular lamp-surrounding portion extending rear wardly from said front portion substantially horizontally and having its front end closed by the front portion and its rear end open and adapted to abut the wall; reflecting caliy arrangedfront portion bearing a di- 'rection-indicating character; an annular lamp-surrounding portion extending rear- 2. Adevice of the class set-forth comprising a substantially cup shaped glass covering for awall lamp, formed with a vertically arranged front portion bearing a direction-indicating character; an annular lamp-surrounding portion extending" rearwardly from said front portion substantially horizontally'and having its front end closed by the front-portionand its rearend open and adapted to abut the Wall; reflecting surfaces carried by and "arranged'around said lamp-surrounding portion, said" surfaces" being disposed transversely with reference to theaxis of thelamp-surrounding portion and adapted to receive'light-rays from the enclosed lamp and reflect them outwardly and rearwardly to create a halo of light surrounding the lamp uponthe wall back of the covering; and light-diffusing ribs extending longitudinally fore-andaft of the ward'ly from said front portion siibstanti'ally horizontally and'hav ng its front end closed by the frontportion and its rear end open and adaptedto abut the wall, re-

flecting surfaces carried by and arranged around said lamp-surroi1nd1ng portion, said reference to the axis of the lamp-surrounding portion and adapted to receive light rays from the enclosed lamp and reflect them outvardly and rearwardly to create a halo of light surrounding the lampcovering upon the wall back of the covering, and a light diff using surface extending around theinner side of the lamp-surrounding portion and adapted to diffuse light rays from the lamp laterally only with relation to. the axis of the lamp-surrounding portion. r

, a. A device of the class set forth comprising a substantially cup-shaped glass covering for a wall lamp, formed with a Vertically arranged front portion bearing a directionindicating character; an annular lamp-surrounding portion extending rearwardly from said front portion substantially horizontally and having its front end closed by the front portion and its rear end open and adapted to abut the wall; rearwardly reflecting surfaces carried by and arranged around said lampsurrounding portion, said surfaces being disposed transversely with reference to the axis of the lampsurrounding portion and adapted to receive rays from the enclosed lamp and reflect them outwardly and rearwardly toward the Wall back of the lamp covering to surround the covering With a halo of light; forwardly'refiecting surfaces carried by and arranged around the lamp-surrounding pOItlOH', Stud forwardly reflectingrsun faces beingdisposed transversely with relation. to the axis of the lamp-surround ng portion, and adapted to receive rays 'froin' the lamp and reflect them outwardlyand forwardly to render the lamp-surrounding portion luminous, and ligl'it-diffusing ribs extending longitudinally fore-andeaft of the lamp-surrounding portion and arranged in a continuous series upon and around the in gner surface thereof.

5. 1-! device of'the class set f rthcomp rising a substantially cup-shaped glassgcoven. ing' for alwall lamp, formed with a front portion bearing an indicating character; a body or lamp-surrounding portion open at its rear end and closed'a-t its frontend by thesaid front portion, a plurality of ribs formed on and" extending 1 peripherally around the outer surfaceof the said body,

said ribs being spaced apart fore-Ian'd-aftof the bodyand each being formed-with a front reflecting surface and a rear reflectingsurface,whereb.ylight rays received.jfjnjm the lamp through the lamp-surrounding portion will be reflected by tl1e}f orward surfacesof H the ribs and "directed outwardly and rear wardly toward the room Wall back of the lamp" coverin g to surround the covering with a halo of light and whereby other light rays will be reflected and directed outwardly and forwardly by the rear surfaces of said ribs;

V and light-diffusing ribs extending longitudisurfaces being disposed transversely witnj nally fore-and-aft of the lamp-surrounding portion and arranged in a series upon and around the inner surface thereof.

6, '.A device ofthe class set forth comprising a substantially ciip sliaped' glass covering for a Wall lamp formed with a front por tion bearing an indicating character ,a body or lamp surrounding portion open at its rear end and closed at its front end by the said front portion; means formed on the outer surface of the'said bodyjadapted to receive light rays from the lamp and'reflect'and refract them outwardly-and rearwardly toward the room wall back of the lamp covering for a wall lamp formed with a front portion having a depression in its rear face in. the form of an'indicating character, the portion of said rear face surrounding the character depression being formed to diffuse light; and a lampsurrounding portion open at its rear end and closed at its front end by said front portion and formed to direct rays received from the enclosed lamp outwardly and rearwardly toward the room Wall back of the covering to surround the covering vith a-halo of light.

8. 2,. ievice of the class set forth coinprisni' a substantially cup-shaped glass covering for a Wall larnp formed with a front portion bearing a direction in licating chars 1'; an annular body or lanip-snr rounding portion open at its rear end and 7 closed at its front end by said front portion;

aplurality of annular parallel ribs fo med on extending around the oral surface of said body portion, said I, beinsspacec apart foreand-aft the body POl'blOll and each rib being formed with a continuous front reflecting surface, a con tinuous rear reflecting surface and an annular top or outer surface straight in for-e L reflected outwardly and forwardly by the fig suriaces of the ribs and will be caused plurality of to be forwardly refracted by the said outer surfaces thereof; and light-diffusing ribs extending longitudinally fore-and-aft of the lanip-surrounding portion substantially the depth thereof and arranged ina continuous series upon and around the inner surface of said portion the outer surface of the lamp portion being formed with a annular surfaces straight in section between the bases of fore-and-aft said ribs.

9. A device of the class set forth comprising a substantially cup-shaped glass covering for a Wall lainp formed with a front portion; abody or lainpsurrounding portion closed'at its front end by the said front portion; means formed on the outer surface of thesaid body adapted to receive light rays from the lamp and reflect them outwardly and iearivardly toward the room wall back of the lamp covering to create a halo of light around the covering; and light-diffusing ribs extending longitudinally fore-and-aft of the lamp covering and arranged in a series upon and around the inher surface of the lamp-surrounoling portion.

l0. A device of the class set forth 00111- prising a substantially cup-shaped glass covering for a Wall lainp formed with a front portion; a body or lamp-surrounding portion closed at its front end by the said ""ront portion; means formed on the outer the said body adapted to receive light rays from the lamp and reflect them ivardly and rearwardly toward the room Wail. back of thelanip covering to create a halo of light "ound the covering; and a l it-diffusingsurface extending around the i side of the lainpsurrounding portion and adapted to diffuse lig only with relation to the aozis of the lamp surrounding portion.

11. A device of the class set forth comprising a substantially cup-shaped glass covering for a Wall larnp formed with a front portion a body or lamp-surrounding portion extending rearwardly from said front portion and having its front end closed by the front portion and its rear end adapted to abut the Wall; light-reflecting surfaces arranged upon and around the outer lamp-surrounding surface of the body, said surfaces being. disposed transversely with reference to the axis of the body and adapted to receive light rays from the en- 't rays laterally closed 2111113 and reflect thein outwardly and rearwardly to create a halo of light around the lacnp covering upon the Wall back of the covering; and a light-diffusing surface ending around the inner side of the lampsurrouncing portions.

12. A device of the class set forth coinprising a substantially cup-shaped glass covering for a Wall lanip formed with a front portion; a lamp-surrounding portion closed at its front end by said front portion and formed With inner and outer lamp-surrounding surfaces; means carried by one of said lamp-surrounding surfaces adapted to receive light rays f om the enclosed lamp and reflect thein outwardly and rearwardly toward the room well back of the covering to create a halo of light around the covering, the other of said 'lainpsurrounding surfaces being formed to diffuse light rays.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature. 

